Nanoconjugate Synthesis of Elaeocarpus ganitrus and the Assessment of Its Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Properties.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accountable for a total of 10 million deaths in the year 2020, according to GLOBOCAN 2020. The advancements in the field of cancer research indicate the need for direction towards the development of new drug candidates that are instrumental in a tumour-specific action. The pool of natural compounds proves to be a promising avenue for the discovery of groundbreaking cancer therapeutics. Elaeocarpus ganitrus (Rudraksha) is known to possess antioxidant properties and after a thorough review of literature, it was speculated to possess significant biomedical potential. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is an environmentally friendly approach intended to eliminate toxic waste and reduce energy consumption. This approach was reported for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles from two different solvent extracts: aqueous and methanolic. These were characterized by biophysical and spectroscopic techniques, namely, UV-Visible Spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, EDX, DLS, SEM, and GC-MS. The results showed that the nanoconjugates were spherical in geometry. Further, the assessment of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiproliferative activities was conducted which yielded results that were qualitatively positive at the nanoscale. The nanoconjugates were also evaluated for their anticancer properties using a standard MTT Assay. The interactions between the phytochemicals (ligands) and selected cancer receptors were also visualized in silico using the PyRx tool for molecular docking.

Chaetomium globosum extract mediated gold nanoparticle synthesis and potent anti-inflammatory activity.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are gaining a lot of attention in recent decades from researchers due to their unique optoelectronic properties and their significance in the field of biomedicine. Keeping this in view, our research work was designed to investigate gold nanoparticles obtained by using a fungal endophytic strain Chaetomium globosum, isolated from Vitex negundo which showed significant activity on enzyme inhibition. In the present study, the fungal isolate C. globosum was characterized using HPLC and LC-MS. A novel compound Catechin was matched with standard Catechin. Further, the endophyte C. globosum extract was utilized to synthesize gold nanoparticles (CgAuNPs) which was analysed by UV-visible spectroscopy. The CgAuNPs exhibited wine red color and the absorption peak appeared at 542 nm confirming the formation of the AuNPs. Further, Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to confirm the various functional groups present in mycosynthesized CgAuNPs. FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of amines, flavonoids, as well as the presence of amide I linkage which possibly reduces Au+ to Au0. The synthesized CgAuNPs exhibited potential cytotoxicity against HeLa cells in a dose dependent manner. Further, CgAuNPs demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity. Overall, the present work provides insights into the design of nano delivery and may be applied for clinical studies in future.

Biofabrication of gold nanoparticles mediated by the endophytic Cladosporium species: Photodegradation, in vitro anticancer activity and in vivo antitumor studies.

Green fabrication of nanoparticles (NPs) using biological sources is the fast-growing trend replacing chemical synthesis via toxic materials. Considering the importance and feasibility of green fabricated NPs, the present research focuses on the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the aqueous extract of the endophytic Cladosporium sp. (MycoAuNPs) isolated from Commiphora wightii. The synthesized MycoAuNPs are characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopic, FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized NPs showed a sharp absorption peak at 524 nm, with an average size between 5 and 10 nm in a spherical shape. XRD revealed the crystalline nature, and EDX profiling confirmed the presence of gold (Au) and oxygen (O) atoms. The biological potential of MycoAuNPs were tested under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. MycoAuNPs showed anti-cancer activity in breast cancer cell line MCF-7 (IC50 38.23 µg/mL) through the induction of apoptosis. Further, MycoAuNPs showed potential against growth of tumor in tumor-bearing mice models. MycoAuNPs significantly reduced the body weight, ascites volume, and increased the lifespan of EAC bearing mice. It induced apoptosis of the EAC cells, which was confirmed by DNA fragmentation and Giemsa staining. Also, they did not develop any secondary complications or side effects in normal mice. The photocatalytic activity of MycoAuNPs tested against Rhodamine B and Methylene Blue dyes showed potential dye degradation in the presence of sunlight. Thus, the present study gives a clear idea of the multifaceted therapeutic and catalytic applications of the biosynthesized MycoAuNPs.

Bungarus caeruleus venom neutralization activity of Azima tetracantha Lam. Extract.

Azima tetracantha Lam. is native to Africa and India. The plant and its parts are used for treating various ailments including snake bites. The different concentrations of ethyl acetate leaf extract of A. tetracantha were used to neutralize the toxic effect of venom through dose dependent enzyme studies and in vivo studies. The extract was able to neutralize the 5' nucleotidase, phospholipase A2, Phosphodiesterae, phosphomonoesterase, acetylcholinesterase and hyaluronidase in a dose dependent manner with concentrations ranging from 43.98 -340.1 µg/mL of extract. The extract could retain the lysis of fibrinogen at the concentration of 1:10 (venom: extract, w/w) and also the lysis of lecithin was reduced at a concentration of 1:25 (venom: extract, w/w). The extract was able to neutralize the LD50 of venom in both mice and embryo and also reduce the myotoxic and edema properties of the venom in mice models. The venom did not show any procoagulant and hemorrhagic effect. The leaf extract possess adequate compounds/phytochemicals that could neutralize the toxic properties/activity of the B. caeruleus venom.

Cysteine-Rich Receptor-Like Kinase Gene Family Identification in the Phaseolus Genome and Comparative Analysis of Their Expression Profiles Specific to Mycorrhizal and Rhizobial Symbiosis.

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) are conserved upstream signaling molecules that regulate several biological processes, including plant development and stress adaptation. Cysteine (C)-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are an important class of RLK that play vital roles in disease resistance and cell death in plants. Genome-wide analyses of CRK genes have been carried out in Arabidopsis and rice, while functional characterization of some CRKs has been carried out in wheat and tomato in addition to Arabidopsis. A comprehensive analysis of the CRK gene family in leguminous crops has not yet been conducted, and our understanding of their roles in symbiosis is rather limited. Here, we report the comprehensive analysis of the PhaseolusCRK gene family, including identification, sequence similarity, phylogeny, chromosomal localization, gene structures, transcript expression profiles, and in silico promoter analysis. Forty-six CRK homologs were identified and phylogenetically clustered into five groups. Expression analysis suggests that PvCRK genes are differentially expressed in both vegetative and reproductive tissues. Further, transcriptomic analysis revealed that shared and unique CRK genes were upregulated during arbuscular mycorrhizal and rhizobial symbiosis. Overall, the systematic analysis of the PvCRK gene family provides valuable information for further studies on the biological roles of CRKs in various Phaseolus tissues during diverse biological processes, including Phaseolus-mycorrhiza/rhizobia symbiosis.